Quick fixes to improve workers' health: Results using engineering assessment technology

Applying the Precaution Adoption Process Model to the Acceptance of Mine Safety and Health Technologies

“…One of the technologies in question within this paper, the Helmet-CAM, could be a viable intervention tool to use with miners who are in Stage 3 of the PAPM and also feel somewhat invincible to experiencing incidents on the job. Previous intervention studies have used the Helmet-CAM to help miners and mine management identify unknown sources of respirable dust over a period of time (Haas and Cecala 2017). Prior to using the technology, several workers mentioned feeling pretty well protected from respirable dust exposure and their chances of being diagnosed with a respiratory disease as minimal (Haas et al 2016).…”

“…However, interventions at five separate mine sites showed significant changes in miners’ proactive behaviors after visually seeing the dust they are exposed to on the job (Haas and Cecala 2017). Therefore, for any sort of contaminant type of exposure that can be measured such as dust, diesel, or noise, this technology can actually be used as an intervention to move workers from Stage 3 to Stage 5.…”

Dust control handbook for industrial minerals mining and processing. Second edition.

“…The use of video exposure monitoring (VEM) was discussed in Chapter 1-Overview of Dust Exposure Assessment and Control-as a viable method to assess how, when, and where workers are being exposed to respirable dust [Gressel et al 1988;McGlothlin 2009;NIOSH 1992NIOSH , 2014Rosen and Lundstrom 1987;Rosen and Andersson 1989;Rosen et al 2005]. Numerous studies have highlighted advancements and strides using VEM assessment techniques, including the Helmet-CAM and EVADE (Enhanced Video Analysis of Dust Exposures) software developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to quickly perform assessments and identify common tasks, areas, and sources of elevated respirable dust exposures in industrial mineral mining and processing operations [Cecala et al 2017;Haas and Cecala 2017;Haas and Cecala 2015;Cecala et al 2015;Cecala and O'Brien 2014;Cecala et al 2013;Joy 2013]. The following list provides common examples identified in these studies of the sources that exposed workers to elevated levels of respirable dust.…”

“…Photos by NIOSH More recent research conducted by NIOSH at a number of industrial mineral mine sites continued to show the validity of the clothes cleaning technology [Haas and Cecala 2017]. For example, one worker's contaminated work clothing was evaluated from pre-and post-dust VEM exposure assessments, which documented that the clothes cleaning booth technology reduced the worker's respirable dust exposure peaks by approximately 88 percent.…”

“…Although additional research is still needed in this area, recent NIOSH research confirmed a simple work practice that workers can perform to significantly reduce their exposure. At one site, it was documented that when a worker changed his bag tying practices by folding the bag collar away from him rather than toward him, his exposure reduced significantly [Haas and Cecala 2017]. Tying bag collar toward the worker increases exposure; tying away from the worker lowers exposure.…”